Pet Owners Urged To Be Aware Of Heat

The lives of two dogs were potentially endangered in a Grand Junction parking lot Sunday, serving a reminder to all dog owners to be mindful of the rising temperatures.

The Grand Junction Police Department responded to the Mesa Mall near the Target store around 2 p.m. Sunday, to a report that a dog had been left in a vehicle.

The puppy was found in the bed of a pickup truck in a ventilated pet carrier.

Mesa County Animal Control was called to the scene, but because the outside temperature at the time was less than 100 degrees, the owners were given a warning.

However, while on scene, another dog was reported in the parking lot and was found in the back seat of a vehicle with the windows barely cracked.

The inside temperature of the car was measured at more than 120 degrees and police say the incident serves as a reminder to pet owners that temperatures inside a vehicle can be more than 30 degrees hotter than the outside temperature.

The medium sized dog in the second vehicle was taken by animal services and the owners will likely be cited for animal cruelty.

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